Nigeria is said to rank number on four key areas of global online snapchat on usage of online resources including artificial intelligence (AI), according to a presentation made in Port Harcourt September 4, 2025, by Aptech Compter Education group.
The global chart showed Nigeria ranking number one globally with 75% of its internet users showing enthusiasm for AI. The chat showed that 100% of its internet users participate in chat and messenger useage but is ranked number two in the world; while the country is also number one in mobile video calling with 78% of its internet users.
Nigeria als ranks tops in consumption of online news 93% and listening to online podcasts 69%. Nigeria is number two in both weekly online purchases 67% and in watching videos online 66%. Nigeria is howeber number four with mere 19% in cryptocurrency ownership.
These figures were contained in a presentation by Seetam Thakuri, Assistant Vice President of Aptech who flew into Port Harcourt from Mumbai, India, to oversee the 17th edition of Aptech’s Career Quest programme which gave four scholarships to students of the Port Harcourt centre worth N36m.
The expert ranked Nigeria high on internet and IT participaption. “To be frank, Nigeria is regarded as the ‘Big Brother’ in Africa. There is immense potential in Nigeria and their youth populace as well as students. In the past 25 years we have been operating in Nigeria, we have come across very talented students especially in IT sectors such as entertainment, animation. This is also the case with South Africa. There is huge opportunity in these countries.”
He however said things are changing. “You can find many studios and many IT companies springing up in Nigeria. What is trending is ‘japa’ but we are training young people so if they go anywhere, they go with value, with skill.
“Now, most of those that went out to do degrees are coming back. Many people are embracing IT and Internet. A lot of people are getting involved. Many people are watching online videos, some are hunting for online news, shopping online, etc. Nigerian people are heading to the Internet.”
Thakuri said a lot of initiatives have also come up from the government in the IT sector. “So, we keep updating our curriculum every year. We have a Research and Development (R&D) team that ensures that we are ahead and we are up to date in the IT world. It is about training. We look at the job market, we create programmes so that the students will have latest skills because we are in the business of skill development.
“In the past 39 years, we have trained over 7.5m students worldwide. In Nigeria, we have touched many lives through our 65 centres. Government cannot create all the jobs. What we are doing is scaling the students. It creates many opportunities for them.”
Thakuri told the enthusiastic audience mainly of parents and students that Aptech is ready to help Nigerian be future-ready with tech skills cybersecurity/digital forensics, web/mobile development, data analytics, game development, full stack development, digital marketing, cloud computing, and AI ML Gen AI.
He said such skills form the passport to the world, and called it ‘Nigeria to the world’. He told young Nigerians to do well to start their global tech career from Nigeria in a smarter, cost-effective, and faster way.
Further unveiling what he called ‘Digital headlines’, Thakuri said out of 8.23bn world population with 58.3% urbanization, unique mobile phone users account for 5.76bn (which is 70% of population); individuals using internet are 5.65bn or 68.7% of global populace; social media users are 5.41bn or 65.7%.
The data gave global internet usage overview thus: 95.9% access internet by phone; 60.7% access by laptop and desktops; 95.7% of internet users are on social media, 45.4% are females.
Also, time spent on social media per week is 18 hours, 46 minutes; AI: unique monthly visitors rate is said to be highest in July 2025 with 411m.
On what really drives people to the internet, the chart showed that the highest is looking for information 61.30%; staying in touch with friends and families 58.80%; watching videos and tv shows 55%; education study 36.75%; research 44%; finding new ideas and inspiration N46.10%; the least being gaming 29.30%.
The data was meant to show IT students that the future is digital and those who grab it now would rule the futute; jobs will perish but more jobs would be created.
He said Aptech, which was the first company to teach Indians how to use computer, has invested heavily in IT and the future in the past 39 years and Nigeria, touching over 7.5m people with over 1000 in Nigeria through 65 centres.
The profile of Aptech showed a global footprint of over 800 centres with India having over 611 centres, Nigeria next with over 65 centres, Vietnam with 45, and others. “Aptech has bagged many awards around the world as best IT training company aided by renowned partners, updated trainings, and industry-ready teaching processes.”
Quoting Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), he said 44,195 Nigerians students were studying abroad by 2022; it grew to 72,355 in 2023; and came down to 46,300 by 2024.
This drive has faced major challenges such as high cost (fees and cost of living abroad); cultural and academic shock (due to sudden shift to a new environment of learning); Visa and Immigration huddles; and skills gaps (due to limited industry-ready technical expertise).
Aptech says it is addressing these challenges for Nigerians thus: “You spend two years in Nigeria paying in Naira, then finish in the UK and save between 60 and 71% cost; you get seamless credit transfer to the UK university; get prepared with academic and cultural readiness before moving abroad; access to global career advantage with Visa and work in the UK up to two years; and industry-ready skills with advanced IT Diploma aligned with global tech trends.”
The company talked about smooth global transition and fast track pathway: “Get admitted into Aptech in Nigeria, get certified with Aptech Advanced Diploma, get certificate endorsed and provisional admission letter from the University, get to the UK (Middlesex University), get a degree B.Sc (Hons) in IT.”
Read also: Aptech cuts 71% off foreign university fees for Nigerians, splashes N36m in PH for 2025
Elaborating the presentation in an interview with BusinessDay, the Asst VP mentioned what is new in 2025, saying: “Every year there is always something new. We improve content for students with the latest IT by upgrading our curriculum. We have been doing this in the last 25 years.
“This year we are 25 years old in Nigeria. We started with one centre, now, we have over 65. That is a big thing. We are starting a programme along with internship next month. It is going to be a new programme that would be powered by AI (Artificial Intelligence). So, every programme is going to have something related to AI.”
Putting the Port Harcourt event in perspective, Thakuri said it is called ‘Career Quest’ and that they have been doing this for 17 years. “The company has extended scholarships to 46 students so far worth around N641m. Today, in Port Harcourt, we gave scholarships worth about N36m.
Better way to japa:
“Today, a lot of students in Nigeria want to ‘japa’ which has become a kind of movement whereby most young Nigerians want to leave the country to seek jobs in other lands. The thing is, if anybody moves without proper planning, then japa means change of location. But if they move with proper planning, if for instance they come to Aptech, get good skills, the skill will become their passport. You will be successful in your japa. Your passport is your skill which does not expire. This is what we give you to help you anywhere you go.
“We have trained thousands of Nigerians to arm them for the future. If you believe us, come to Aptech.”
He admitted that students in some countries were having difficulties buying computers to be effective in class but rejected suggestions for Aptech to intervenene. “Aptech is not involved in hardware aspect of computers. What we do is offering books; both hardcopies and electronic. We provide platforms where students can log in and study. We admit that to complete their assignments, they need laptops. That is why students that see us come along with their laptops. With that laptop, a student will log in and get access to many books.”
Speaking earlier, Canada-based Rajeev Venugopal, MD/CEO of Raptors (Franchise of Aptech, owning largest number of Aptech centres in Nigeria), disclosed how scarcity of jobs in Nigeria touched him so much that he resolved that skills to Nigerians would be the solution, thus, Aptech was brought to Nigeria 25 years ago.
He said he went in search of partners to fight the problem and found Aptech as the most suitable for the war against unemployment by upscaling of skills.
He said he considered his mission accomplished because of thousands of Nigerian youths that have been trained by the computer education group which he said has so far trained 7.5m students worldwide.
In her presentation, Oluchi Nwagbara, regional manager in Nigeria for Middlesex University, explained the unique offerings of the university and how it is highly rated worldwide in many aspects of performance.
She said the university offers three thousand pounds as discount to students coming from Aptech. She disclosed the mouthwatering opportunities for excellent study, jobs while in school, and jobs after school, so long as all rules were obeyed.
Student groups presented the various skills they have so far learnt such as websites, applications (apps), games, and others.
The highpoint of the event was the scholarship draws which threw up Echefu Arigbozoh and Jombo J.C Nenge for the UK slots while Ozor Chiatokam and Emmanuel Ekene Prince picked the Aptech scholarships for Nigeria.
Sajan Suvarna, COO of Aptech in Nigeria, welcomed the tech crowd to the Bourgainvillea arena to plot the way for the futute of younger Nigerians.
He said every provision and arrangement had been made for the students to study hard and meet international standrads and to finish in the UK without hitches.
